My thoughts exactly. My family and I went for the first time last September. Riding tubes in the fearless river was a major highlight of the park. So much fun. I'll be really disappointed if it's still just life vests in September. Does anyone have any inside info on this?

I think maybe a lot has to do with liability also. I've only been there 2 times but both times I saw little kids getting flipped off of the tubes when going past the wave generator.

One time I watched a kid coming around the bend right when it turned on and the kid came flying down river with his head down inside of the tube with feet in the air. I grabbed his legs when he was going past to help him get righted.

They don't have to worry about people getting stuck while flipped over if they don't have any rafts

I thought the tubes were WAY more fun. It just became work with the vests.

Click to expand...

We have not been since the change, but something I noticed was that they often had to pause and or slow down the river as someone was seen out of a tube often.

One time, the wife and I were sitting near the entrance while our daughter was spending time in the river. A storm started rolling in and I got to see how fast they can make that river as they were ‘pushing’ guest to the exit rather efficiently.

So, I am hoping vest only makes it more enjoyable, run at a consistent speed anyway....so I hope the fun out weighs the work!

Did anyone catch the premiere episode of Food Network Star in Volcano Bay? The park made for a beautiful backdrop for the challenge where the contestants had to take their signature dish and "parkify" it. The elimination took place in Jurassic Park.